1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image-forming apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there is known an image-forming apparatus having an image-forming section, an image-reading section provided above the image-forming section, and a catch tray provided therebetween. The image-reading section has a function of reading a document image. The image-forming section has a function of forming an image on paper.
Conventionally, there is also known the thus-configured image-forming apparatus in which the image-reading section is pivotable about a predetermined pivotal axis (disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) Nos. 10-301349, 2005-165361, 2006-65188, 2006-119474, and 2006-126406). In this kind of image-forming apparatus, pivoting the image-reading section upward opens the catch tray widely toward the exterior of the apparatus. This facilitates, for example, takeout of paper on which an image is formed.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) Nos. 10-301349, 2005-165361, and 2006-126406, in the image-forming apparatus in which the catch tray opens widely laterally (in a direction perpendicular to the opening/closing direction of the image-reading section; i.e., in a direction along the pivotal axis), an operation of opening/closing the image-reading section is easy. However, such a configuration may involve unstable support of the image-reading section, potentially resulting in failure in image-reading operation.
Meanwhile, as disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open (kokai) Nos. 2006-65188 and 2006-119474, in the image-forming apparatus in which the catch tray opens only frontward (in a direction along the opening/closing direction of the image-reading section; i.e., in a direction perpendicular to the pivotal axis), the image-reading section is stably supported. However, such a configuration renders difficult an operation of opening/closing the image-reading section.